Dubai Secures Top Spot in Middle East in 2024 Global City Index
Dubai emerged as the highest-ranked city in West Asia and Africa in the '2024 Global City Index' by Brand Finance, maintaining its regional lead for the second consecutive year. The city also made impressive strides globally, rising to fifth place, surpassing major cities like Singapore, Los Angeles, Sydney, San Francisco, and Amsterdam.
Trump Picks Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence
President-elect Donald Trump shortlisted Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat, as the director of National Intelligence. Gabbard represented Democrats in the Congress from Hawaii from 2013 to 2021.
Tulsi Gabbard, who unsuccessfully fought the Democrats presidential nomination in 2020, endorsed Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 elections. Although her selection by Trump's team requires a clearance from the Senate which was last week won by Republicans.
The 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference
The 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference was hosted by the Parliament of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia in November 2024.
The 67th CPC was held under the main theme of 'Engage, Empower, Sustain: Charting the Course for Resilient Democracy'.
Anurag Sharma, a member of the Jhansi Lalitpur Lok Sabha Constituency, led the Indian delegation at the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Sydney, Australia.
Nov 13, 2024
India Secures Position in Top 10 Countries in Patents, Trademarks, and Industrial Designs
India made remarkable progress in intellectual property (IP) filings, securing 6th place globally for the first time in 2023, according to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Global Patent Filing Report. This achievement reflects a robust growth of 15.7% in patent filings, marking the fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth in India. With more than 64,480 patents filed in 2023, India's contributions are now among the top 10 nations globally across major IP rights, including patents, trademarks, and industrial designs.
India recorded 64,480 patent filings in 2023, reflecting a 15.7% year-over-year increase. This was the largest growth rate among the top 20 patent-filing countries.
Globally, over 35 lakh patents were filed, with China leading at 1.64 million, followed by the USA, Japan, South Korea, and Germany. India stands sixth, ahead of Germany, with a consistent rise in patent activity.
For the first time, India is included in the top 10 countries for patent, industrial design, and trademark applications. These areas saw dramatic increases, with patent and design filings more than doubling since 2018 and trademark applications up by 60%. Asia continues to dominate the global patent landscape, accounting for nearly 69% of global filings. The major contributors—China, Japan, South Korea, and India—led the global growth surge in 2023.
PM Modi to Attend G20 Summit in Brazil
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a three-nation visit from November 16-21 during which he will also travel to Brazil to attend the G20 summit.
India is part of the G20 troika along with Brazil and South Africa, and has been actively contributing to the ongoing G20 summit discussions.
The 2024 G20 in Brazil is the nineteenth meeting of Group of Twenty (G20), scheduled to take place at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 18–19, 2024.
Navin Ramgoolam New Prime Minister of Mauritius
Mauritius' opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam was appointed Prime Minister, returning to the post a decade on after his coalition won a near clean sweep of seats in parliament in a general election.
Ramgoolam's Alliance du Changement (ADC) coalition won a landslide 60 of the 62 national assembly seats.
Nov 12, 2024
Alix Didier Fils-Aime is Haiti's New Prime Minister
Alix Didier Fils-Aime, a businessman, became Haiti's new Prime Minister, taking the reins in a nation rocked by lawlessness and political discord.
His predecessor, Garry Conille, was appointed in May, but just five months into his term was dismissed by the transitional council, a body thrust into power after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, which left the country without a sitting parliament or leader — following an extended power struggle.
The 12th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12)
The Twelfth Session of the World Urban Forum WUF12, convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), took place in Cairo, Egypt, returning to the African continent after more than 20 years after its inception in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2002.
WUF12 focussed on localising the Sustainable Development Goals, shedding light on the local actions and initiatives required to curb the current global challenges affecting the daily life of people, including unaffordable housing, rising living costs, climate change, the lack of basic services, and ongoing conflicts.
Nov 11, 2024
Qatar Suspends Role as Mediator between Israel and Hamas
Qatar suspended its work as a mediator in ceasefire and hostage release talks between Israel and Hamas.
The country said that it would resume its work when Hamas and Israel "show their willingness" to negotiate.
It came after senior US officials reportedly said that Washington would no longer accept the presence of Hamas representatives in Qatar, accusing the Palestinian group of rejecting fresh proposals for an end to the war in Gaza.
Nov 10, 2024
Trump Appoints Susan Wiles as White House Chief of Staff
United States President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of Susan Wiles as his White House chief of staff, making her the first woman to assume this high-ranking position in US history.
Wiles was the campaign manager for Trump's highly successful 2024 Campaign for President.
Known for her political expertise and formidable influence in Republican circles, Wiles' appointment marks a significant milestone for women in American politics and points out Trump's continued reliance on her tactical insight.
Australia to Ban Social Media for Children under 16
Australia is set to implement a significant move by banning social media access for children under 16. This proposed ban targets platforms like Instagram and Facebook, which have been linked to various issues such as body image concerns, cyberbullying, and mental health challenges among the youth. While this ban doesn't block internet access, it aims to mitigate the harmful impact these platforms have on young minds.
Restricting social media access can significantly reduce risks like cyberbullying, body shaming, and online harassment. Limiting screen time encourages children to engage in more physical activity, explore hobbies, and develop healthier lifestyles by reducing sedentary behavior. It can also promote face-to-face communication, improving social skills and emotional intelligence.